Consumer electronics major Philips is planning a big push into the neonatal care segment. The company will soon introduce a range of products, including warmers, incubators and phototherapy (‘blue light') devices (used to treat premature infants or babies with neonatal jaundice).
These products have also been designed‘in India for emerging markets'.
Philips India's Healthcare division has charted an ambitious roadmap in the neonatal segment, including partnerships with public entities, Mr Ravi Ramaswamy, Senior Director and Business Manager, Patient Care and Clinical Informatics-India, Philips, told
It has lined up a suite of such products for around the middle of this year. Explaining the company's USP, Mr Ramaswamy said they would have variants for premium urban corporate hospitals as well as for the cost-conscious tier-2 cities and primary health centres covered by the National Rural Health Mission.
“Mother and child care is one of those very critical areas for us. It's a small business group now and has come out of acquisitions. We are trying to build on that and come out with products that cover the spectrum,” Mr Ramaswamy said.
Model for India
Products made for the West, according to him, would be too complex for Indian paramedics to handle. A one-degree drop or rise in temperature, if not controlled in time, could kill the baby. The Indian newborn death rate was a high 53 per 1,000 and the Government was adopting the Sri Lankan model of intervention.
The 2,000-strong Philips Innovation Centre at Bangalore handles healthcare, lighting and consumer lifestyle. Healthcare accounts for around half its business and human resource.
For its part, the company has shifted the ‘value' or low-cost ultrasound imaging segment to India. The new PCCI business centre is steering products for emerging markets.
Domestic share
Of the $200 million (around Rs 1,000 crore) global neonatal products market, the domestic share is around 10 per cent ( around Rs 100 crore). But the growth rate is a relatively high 18-20 per cent compared to the global 12 per cent.
The country could need 1,500-2,000 incubators and 15,000-18,000 warmers a year. With competitor GE and a dozen local players present in this segment, “the challenge for Philips is, how we are going to compete with them and also give the Philips quality,” Mr Ramaswamy said.